Enchanted
by rosa-oscura
Summary: The beautiful Christine meets a handsome stranger at the masquerade ball that will change her life forever... She must learn to trust and overcome fear of the unknown to be with the one she loves. A classic forbiden love story with a dark twist.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Phantom of the Opera or its character's it all belongs to Gaston Leroux, Susan Kay, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Warner Brother Studios, and anyone else that has the rights to it. **

**Author's note: This is my first story I hope you all like it. Thank you to my fantastic beta reader Miss Cullen -I wish. Reviews are welcomed **

New beginnings

Chapter 1

Christine stepped out onto the large balcony that over looked the rose gardens, the cool air a refreshing feeling after being concealed inside all day. She let her mind wander as she settled herself on the small bench. Tonight was a turning point in Christine's life. The masked ball that her father threw each year would also be serving purpose as her engagement party. She was to be married to Raoul de Chagny, a nobleman and handsome bachelor, a man she did not love.

Charles, Christine's father, was most happy by the union. He pushed Christine and Raoul together and persuaded her to accept Raoul as a husband. She later found out his motive behind doing so, money. Raoul was from a wealthy family and was ready to provide if Christine would become his wife. Charles had become irresponsible with his money since the death of Christine's mother Emma, and was now in debt. However no one yet knew of the debt except for Raul, making it easy to manipulate Charles. Now Christine was a pawn to be used in her father's agreement with Raoul.

A soft knock on her bedrooms door awoke her from her thoughts. Marie, her maid entered the room, her dark eyes searching for her.

"Milady! You will catch a cold!" Christine looked out to the horizon noticing that the sun had set and wondered how long she had been out.

"You must come inside, its time" the small woman sounded impatient and took Christine's hand for her to follow.

Once inside Christine walked over to the full length mirror she kept by her vanity. She examined herself and could feel Marie doing the same.

"You look beautiful milady" here, let me help you with your mask. Marie secured the mask by tying a knot underneath Christine's long chocolate curls. Then let her hair fall to beautifully frame Christine's face.

"Thank you Marie, you can go, I'll be down soon." The small woman turned and quietly left the room. Christine then looked at her reflection. She truly did look beautiful; the strapless gown fit her curves perfectly, the scarlet color of the gown complemented her fair skin, and the bodice was embroidered with a beautiful design. The mask she wore only covered around the eyes, with a black lace overlay that contrasted with her big blue eyes, making them stand out.

She turned to leave, stepping out of the room and into the hallway silently making her way down to the marble stairwell. Reaching the railing for support she took a deep breath before slowly descending down the stairs. She felt everyone's gaze turning to look at her, she could feel Raoul's eyes and it sickened her, and she could feel her father's cold cunning gaze and it sadden her.

"Ah! Christine it's about time" her father called out to her as she reached the grand foyer, the annoyance clearly evident in his tone of voice. He extended his hand to her and slowly began leading her pass the crowd to the other side of the room.

"I believe you all know my daughter, Christine" the people surrounding her were all aristocrats, probably wealthiest in the room. She gave a polite smile and suddenly saw Raoul emerge from out of nowhere.

"Miss Daae, you are most beautiful" he said before taking her hand in his and placing a kiss on the top of her hand. He was dressed impeccably and was smiling at her with a wicked look in his dark eyes. Everyone around them thought him a saint, a façade that Christine quickly became aware of; they were all smiling at her, probably waiting for her response. When none came he took the opportunity to lead her away. "Honor me with a dance?" Before she could answer she was led by the hand to the center of the ball room and began dancing to the slow music in the background. Her father excusing himself disappeared into the sea of people.

"You will behave tonight" his low commanding voice whispering into her ear as they both danced. She looked down and nodded slowly, in defeat. She wanted to be stronger but she did not want to disappoint her father, who although was not the man he used to be she still loved him despite of everything. Her home, her life style, she didn't want to lose everything she had. She was still a child in many ways and was too afraid to stand up for herself. So she agreed to become his fiancé not really accepting or facing the consequences until now.

"Good, because I'm tired of your cold attitude towards me and the sooner you accept this the better it'll be for the both of us. I want you to look happy tonight; you will be my wife and as such will submit under my rule, understood?" he was clearly not happy and she feared even speaking to him when he was like this. She nodded again hoping to ease his anger; he was now smiling victoriously as he led her in dance.

When the music stopped she couldn't be happier until she realized that Raoul was not letting go of her hand. Clearly she was not going to be let out of his site tonight. He gave her a menacing look when she gently tried to pull away.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I would like to have you attention." She felt near tears, this would be the moment when she would lose all freedom, any chance of escaping gone once everyone knew.

"I just wanted to inform everyone that the lovely Christine Daae and I are to be married!" Raoul said in a load voice for all to hear while smiling and looking over at her. She didn't know what to do, she tried scanning the room for her father but could not find him, and not that he would be much help. She felt helpless as if her whole future was being forced upon her at this very moment. The room fell silent for a short while and then erupted in applause. As she continued the search for her father she noticed the faces around her, most seemed happy with the news, others were surprised and some of the younger women seemed upset as they began to whisper among themselves and looked at their direction, probably thinking that she was not worthy of the most eligible bachelor.

The crowds began surrounding them offering their congratulations. She then looked in Raoul's direction, he seemed content smiling at the people shaking his hand and thanking them for their support. She gave a weak smile when someone would approach her but she couldn't speak, if she said anything she would surly begin to cry.

"We thank you all for your support, the wedding should take place in the near future" Raoul then raised his campaign filled glass and drank it all without hesitation.

She was startled when he dismissed himself and took her hand, gently pulling her leading her in the direction of the double doors which led to the balcony "outside now!" he hissed into her ear when he was sure that they weren't being heard. His eyes filled with anger as he gently closed the doors behind him, his calm demeanor completely changed once they were alone. He walked over to her and forcefully grabbed her by the shoulders so she couldn't escape him.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why don't you try smiling for once… you look ridiculous, it's embarrassing!" he said, his anger clearly fuelled by the lack of enthusiasm she displayed inside. She looked down trying to regain the little strength she had left.

"LOOK AT ME WHEN IM SPEAKING TO YOU!" he forced her eyes to meet his by roughly tilting her chin up, the rims of her blue eyes flooded by tears.

"I told you that I wasn't going to put up with this tonight-"

"I HATE YOU!" she blurted out, interrupting him and leaving him completely speechless.

The silence was broken by the muffled scream, he backhanded her-hard. She was on the floor her hand covering her cheek, looking up at him as he slowly made his way back to the foyer.

"Get yourself together and come back inside, I've had enough."

The doors slammed close behind him, when she was finally alone she allowed herself to cry.


	2. Enchanted

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Phantom of the Opera or its character's it all belongs to Gaston Leroux, Susan Kay, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Warner Brother Studios, and anyone else that has the rights to it.**

**Chapter 2**

**Enchanted**

Christine was careful around Raul, making sure not to upset him. She knew the temper he had but never actually thought that he would physically harm her, until tonight. She remained quite only speaking when absolutely necessary usually exchanging small conversations with the people that would come to congratulate her. Raoul kept his arm around her waist all night as a small reminder that she belonged to him. She wondered if anyone else could see the obvious tension between them.

Raoul pretended as if nothing happened, although she could still she the flash of anger in his eyes whenever he would look at her. When surrounded by his friends, Raoul was an entirely different person. He behaved like a complete gentleman and was incredibly charming. No one could see through him, not even her father. She worried about her father; their relationship had become strained in the past year. She knew that he was just trying to save the family name by covering up his debt with this marriage but she would never forgive him for it. Of course it wasn't his entire fault; she couldn't find the courage within herself to deny Raoul especially after tonight. She felt utterly alone.

The rest of the night was a blur to Christine. Raoul talked to his friends about his accomplishments and his plans for the future. His family was the patron of the Opera House and he also was in charge of overseeing decisions regarding the upcoming performances.

Occasionally someone would ask them about plans of their wedding. Christine looked down and refused to answer any question about it and Raoul would give a short answer before quickly changing the subject. Apart from that his guests seemed to be fascinated by him, most of his friends were dancers or singers of the opera house and were interested to hear his plans. One of the women was Carlotta, a beautiful red headed woman that seemed to give Raoul her undivided flirtatious attention. Christine was well aware of his eager response towards this woman, but she didn't mind.

"Ah! My friends may I introduce the new composer for the future opera, Erik Dessler." Raoul proudly said as he extended his hand to Erik making sure he was by his side.

"He composed a wonderful new opera and will be with you during rehearsals starting tomorrow."

Christine looked up to see the mysterious stranger; he was dressed all in black in a three piece suite. He was one of the tallest men in the room, well-built and probably in his thirties. Christine thought that he held himself with such composure. His hair was dark and combed back. The right side of his face was covered by a white mask, she thought it suited him. The other half of his face was unbelievably handsome, in a rugged sort of way.

As Erik thanked Raoul for introducing him she could see Carlotta shifting her attention from Raoul to Erik.

"Hello Monsieur Desseler, my name is Carlotta I'm hoping to become prima Donna in the next opera" she said before giving Erik a flirtatious smile.

"Please call me Erik. I'll be looking forward to hearing you in the rehearsals" Erik said politely. He turned, stopping when he saw Christine.

"My fiancée, Christine Daae" Raoul introduced Christine noticing the way Erik was looking at her.

Erik slowly walked over to Christine until he was directly in front of her. Taking her hand in his and placing a soft kiss on top, His eyes never leaving hers.

"Enchanté" Erik said quietly for only her to hear.

"May I steal your fiancée?" Erik looked over at Raoul who seemed stunned by his question.

"Excuse me?"

"For a dance of course" he then looked back at her and smiled warmly, not waiting for Raoul to respond.

"May I have this dance?"

Christine nodded and intertwined her arm with his until they reached the dance floor, leaving Raoul behind completely stunned and slightly confused. The music began to play, Christine placed her arm on Erik's shoulder and his hand was placed on her waist as he expertly led her in dance.

"You dance marvelously Mademoiselle."

She was completely mesmerized by him. His eyes were alluring; the warm amber color held so much gentleness.

"Thank you Monsieur. Is this your first time working as composer?"

"For this company, yes. I'm looking forward to it."

They seemed to share a connection and Christine found it impossible to look away from him, he was so handsome and mysterious she wanted to know more about him. She could feel Raoul looking at her and was glad that for once he was not in control.

The trance was broken when the music stopped Erik smiled at her before walking her back to Raoul.

"Thank you my friend, she is quite lovely"

Raoul was slightly annoyed but gave Erik a polite smile before taking Christine's hand holding and holding her close.

"Thank you for coming Erik, I'll see you around the opera." Raoul then turned and started pulling Christine behind him

"Goodbye, Erik," she said hoping he would hear her before Raoul took her away.

"Goodnight Mademoiselle" he responded giving her one last smile before disappearing into the crowd

Christine was glad when the party ended, knowing that Raoul would be leaving her for the night. She would finally be free of him even if it was for a short while.

"Goodnight darling, I'll see you tomorrow." He said sarcastically, attempting to kiss her.

She quickly turned her head to the side, narrowly escaping his lips. He gave her a cold penetrating look but said nothing and left without looking back.

She finally relaxed and pushed past her heavy gown slowly making her way up the marble stairs. All she wanted now was rest. She finally reached the entry way of her room opened the heavy door and entered the darkened chamber. A streak of light was let in by the balcony doors which were slightly opened. She walked to the other side of the room and opened both doors letting the fresh air and dim light in to illuminate the room.

Marie entered the room to help Christine out of her gown.

"I almost forgot! A monsieur Dessler asked me to give this to you earlier" She said reaching into her bag…

She pulled out a single red rose. It was the most beautiful rose Christine had ever seen. She carefully handed it to her and Christine noticed a black ribbon that was elegantly tied to the stem. She smiled to herself as she remembered those enticing amber eyes that would haunt her for the rest of the night.

**Please review:) **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT own Phantom of the Opera or its character's it all belongs to Gaston Leroux, Susan Kay, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Warner Brother Studios, and anyone else that has the rights to it.

Enjoy

Chapter 3

Encounter

Christine awoke that morning feeling well rested. She could feel the warm sun light coming through her bedrooms window. Her eyes fluttered open as she remembered the previous night. Today would be a new day, although she didn't want to face it if it meant Raoul would be in it. She suddenly remembered the fight that had transpired between them, her mood shifted from excitement to dread. Raoul would be coming over later today, probably joining them for dinner as usual. She didn't want to be miserable and decided that she still had most of the day to herself.

She pushed the heavy comforter away from her body and got up from the lavish bed. Walking over to the window and looked outside. It was a beautiful day, clear blue skies and sunshine. She would not let Raoul dampen her whole day. Walking over to her armoire and opened both wooden doors. She reached inside and selected a beautiful floor length gown. As Christine held the dress she noticed how soft the fabric felt, it was the finest silk. She put the gown on and began to tie the laces on the back of the dress. The dress was casual enough for the day but it was still breathtakingly beautiful. The color was a deep blue that complimented her eyes. The bodice was tight so it would show off her figure and the full skirt flouted away from her and was not very heavy. When she was finished dressing she walked over and sat down at her vanity. She looked at her reflection while brushing through her long hair.

"Good morning milady" Marie emerged from the entry.

"Good morning Marie" she said back while looking at the small woman that was approaching her.

"You should come down milady, your father wishes to see you"

Christine raised her brow in question but decided to remain silent. She rose from her seat and followed Marie out into the hallway. They both walked down to her father's library on the main floor of the manor. Before entering Christine felt uneasiness, if Raoul told her father about her behavior towards him last night he would surely be disappointed and would probably want to talk to her about it. She didn't feel like conversing to her father about Raoul. It just upset them both and drove the wedge that was between them even deeper. She had wanted to avoid this by giving Raoul a chance, but after last night she wasn't sure if she could take the pressure anymore.

"I'll be in the kitchen preparing your breakfast milady" Marie said before she quickly turned to leave.

Christine slowly opened the heavy wooden door entering into the library. The room was small with tall windows on either side of the walls. A large Bookshelf outlined the farthest wall and two smaller bookshelves were placed by the windows. Her father would come to the library and lock himself inside for hours not wanting to be disturbed. He would often forget his priorities while surrounded by his beloved books. She looked around the room and saw her father seated behind his large desk. Her face grew pale when she saw Raoul standing next to him.

"What are you doing here?" she could hardly hide the hint of annoyance in her voice.

Roald looked at Charles and started laughing without humor.

"That's no way to treat your fiancé my dear. I just wanted to see you of course"

She said nothing but watched as Raoul slowly approached her. She just stood there, both arms at her side as he gave her hug and whispered into her ear.

"I missed you last night." She could feel chills going up her spine. He let go of her and walked back to Charles side.

"Yes, actually my dear I was discussing plans for the wedding." He looked down and started collecting a few papers from the desk.

"Were pushing the wedding date up to month or two from now"

He was clearly stating a fact. He wasn't asking for her approval or even her opinion. She didn't comment but looked over at her father who was looking off to the side completely disengaged. She didn't know whether he was avoiding looking at her or if he simply didn't care.

"I was hoping you would join me this afternoon Christine. I have business at the Opera House; we could take this opportunity to further discuss about the wedding." Raoul smiled and looked at her waiting for an answer.

She just nodded growing more impatient.

"Very well, we shall go soon. Be ready"

Christine abruptly turned making her way towards the door. She could hardly wait to be out of there. As she thought about her father she became angry. He had practically turned his back on her. She lost a lot of respect for him and was beginning to forget why she had agreed to the marriage.

"You will take care of her won't you?" Charles asked as he looked up to Raoul.

"My only wish is to make her happy Charles" Raoul said while preparing to leave.

"You have to forgive her for her attitude. My daughter is young; she will learn to respect you with time."

"Oh I intent to make that happen sooner than later my friend. She will learn her place." Before Charles could respond Raoul turned to leave. He was in no mood to deal with him today.

Christine loved the Opera house; it was like being in a dream the architecture was beautiful. The façade of the building was so incredibly detailed it was truly a masterpiece. However the inside was what really captivated her. The foyer was decorated by elaborate statues, paintings, crystal chandeliers and a huge marble staircase that lead up to the auditorium. Christine always dreamt of singing here. Her mother, being former opera singer, taught her how to sing when she was very young. She trained her for years in hope that one day she would be able to audition and become a great singer at the Opera Populair. However her dreams died when her mother passed away a few years ago. Christine had not had the chance to finish her training.

She and Raoul did not speak much to each other. He would occasionally tell her about his work at the Opera or he would mention something brief about the wedding. Christine just nodded or answered shortly hoping to completely avoid the subject. She didn't want to know about the wedding, she didn't care what happened or what his plans were. They walked to the auditorium silently making their way to the front of the stage where the cast were rehearsing one of the scenes of the opera. She could see Carlotta standing center stage wearing an extravagant purple gown. The bodice adorned with small colorless crystals and the full skirt embellished by embroidery. She looked beautiful. Christine noticed the way she smiled and looked at Raoul when he entered the room. Raoul smiled back and looked as if they both shared something intimately private by the way they looked at each other.

"I need to speak with one of the managers. Stay here I won't be long." Raoul said before letting go of her hand and disappearing behind the door.

Christine seated herself and watched the performance unfold. The music was haunting, the melody was sad yet moving, truly a work of art.

"Enjoying the show?" a familiar low voice whispered.

She looked back and saw Erik standing there. He looked like a vision dressed elegantly in black. However she noticed that he still wore the white mask from the night before. He looked so mysterious with it on; she wondered what he could possibly be hiding underneath. He was looking back at her waiting for a response.

"Would you care to join me for a walk?" He said while extending his hand to her.

"I'd love to" she said never taking her eyes off of his. Taking his hand they walked back to the foyer.

"What brings you here today milady?" Erik asked while walking down the halls.

"I'm with Raoul; He had businesses to finish here today." She looked down wishing she could forget the fact that he was hear.

"I understand that you recently got engaged to him?" he looked at her, his face expressionless.

"Yes, we will be married in a few months." She wanted to change the subject. She didn't want to think about Raoul at the moment.

"I see." He looked away from her as they continued on their walk.

He didn't ask her anymore about Raoul; instead he talked about the Opera House. He explained the history behind it, and asked her opinion about everything they saw. He seemed truly interested in what she had to say. They walked down the halls and enjoyed looking at the paintings that decorated almost every wall. They discussed the marvelous architecture of the building and walked along the balcony that over looked the stage. She was having a good time and she managed to forget Raoul for a while. 

"Monsieur, are you here directing the opera?" She remembered Raoul saying something about him working here.

"Overseeing the performance really. I composed the last piece you heard, did you like it?"

Christine looked back at him in surprise.

"Oh yes! It was lovely." She smiled at him and he smiled back. There was something about him that Christine could not get enough of. He was so kind and gentle yet he was so mysterious and dark.

They made their way back to the auditorium while talking more about Erik's music, his inspiration behind each piece and his vision for the new production. She asked him so many questions. He was so interesting; she could talk to him for hours. Unfortunately when they arrived to the auditorium Raoul was their waiting for her.

"Ah my dear I thought you got lost!" Raoul said as he laughed and walked over to them.

"I'm sorry my friend, I had to take her away for a few moments." Christine was surprised by the way Erik talked to Raoul. He sounded very confident not caring what Raoul would say or think.

"Yes well I hope she wasn't too much trouble" Raoul said and took Christine by the hand.

"On the contrary, she was marvelous" Erik looked down at Christine and smiled. She smiled back.

"Alright well we must go now Christine." Raoul seemed eager to take her away from Erik.

Before Raoul took them away Christine turned and walked back to Erik.

"Monsieur, I'm sure my father would really like to meet you, he's very much into the arts as well. I was wondering if you would care to join us for dinner tonight." Christine was unsure whether to ask Erik, she knew Raoul would not approve but it was still her home and she wanted to know Erik better. She waited for a response completely unaware that Raoul was behind her practically fuming with anger.

"I would be honored Mademoiselle" he said before gently kissing the top of her hand.

"Then we'll see you tonight" Christine smiled before turning to meet Raoul who was unquestionably annoyed by her invitation. She didn't care she was glad that she invited him and felt giddy for the first time in a long while. They walked back to the carriage that waited them outside. She now had something to look forward to.

**I Hope you liked it:) Please Review.**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Phantom of the Opera or its character's it all belongs to Gaston Leroux, Susan Kay, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Warner Brother Studios, and anyone else that has the rights to it.

Enjoy

Chapter 4

Dinner

Raoul was clearly in no mood to talk after Christine offered Erik the unexpected invitation. For the most part the carriage ride back home was silent; he would always do a good job of ignoring her. He looked out the window completely preoccupied by his thoughts. When they reached her manor Raoul quickly reached over the door handle and grasped it so she couldn't get out. She was afraid to look up at him, afraid of what he would say.

"I don't know what game you're playing Christine, but I want it to stop." Raoul said, his hand still clutched to the door handle.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Oh! Stop pretending my dear; I can see you're quite taken by Mr. Desseler."

Christine didn't want to show any emotion at the mentioned of his name but she felt herself blush in response. Raoul silently chuckled to himself, confirming his accusation towards her.

"Let me remind you that I am HIS boss…and YOUR fiancé… Tonight will be the last time you see him." he stated before roughly twisting the handle and opening the door of the carriage. He silently climbed out not waiting for Christine and walked back to the manor.

Christine felt angry. Although he could not stop her from seeing him tonight he could stop her from seeing him in the future. Maybe she just needed to accept this, maybe Raoul was right, they were engaged and this only gave Christine false hope.

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The rest of the afternoon was dull. The time seemed to pass in slow gradual strides. Christine wanted to be left alone so she went upstairs and locked herself in her room, hoping to avoid Raoul until dinner. She couldn't keep her mind off what Raoul said to her. If this was to be her last night of freedom then at least she would make the most of it. She got up from her bed and walked over to her large armoire which kept her most beautiful gowns. She opened both doors and looked inside. She wanted to dress to impress tonight. Although she would never be given the opportunity to further know Erik, she at least wanted to make a lasting impression on him.

She started to take the dresses off their hangers, carefully placing them on the bed so she could take a good look at each one and decide which dress would be suitable for the night. She picked up a long gorgeous emerald gown. The gown itself was a simple off shoulder made of silk and would complement her figure. Its simplicity would enhance her beauty. When she finished putting the gown on she looked at her reflection in the full length mirror. Pleased with the look of the dress she walked to her vanity. She ran the comb through her dark hair, smoothing out the long curls that hit down to her lower back. She took silver clips from her drawer and began pinning her hair up in an elegant lose bun. When she had finished her hair, she pressed her finger into the slightly tinted lipstick patting it unto her full lips as the finishing touch. She was ready to see Erik. She knew he would be here soon so she took a deep breath and left the room in anticipation

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While Christine was descending down the marble stairwell, Marie opened the large foyer door reviling Erik standing on the other side.

"Please come in Monsieur." Marie said as she took Erik's coat from him.

He looked so elegant dressed impeccably as usual. He still wore that mysterious white mask that covered half of his face.

"Thank you." Erik said before looking up and seeing Christine coming down the stairwell. His expression was impossible to read but he smiled at her when she reached the foyer making his way toward her.

At that moment Raoul emerged from the library, smiling and ready to greet Erik.

"Monsieur Desselar! I'm so happy would could join us this evening." Raoul said as he shook Erik's hand.

Both men turned to see Christine. Erik still smiling and Raoul a cold calculation look in his eyes.

"Christine… you look beautiful" Erik said while walking over to her.

"Ah- why don't we go in the dining room, Monsieur Daae will be joining us shortly." Raoul said nervously as he took Christine's hand and guided her away from Erik.

They all walked inside the dining room. Raoul pulled a chair out for Christine, still keeping the illusion of the perfect gentlemen when he was around public. The tall windows and high sealing made the room seem huge. The large dining room table was dark oak wood and was costume made for Christine's father. A crystal chandelier hung from the celling it went with the Victorian décor of the room. A grand fireplace at the end of the room made it seem warm and inviting. The detailed tapestries that hung on the walls were beautiful and elaborate. The room reflected the wealth that they once had.

Raoul sat by Christine and Erik seated himself on the end of the table. When Charles arrived Raoul and Erik stood up and welcomed him.

"So you must be Monsieur Desseler" Charles said as he walked over to Erik and shook his hand.

"Please call me Erik"

Charles looked at Christine's direction and smiled. She looked down not wanting to return the gesture.

"So tell me Erik, How are you enjoying your work at the opera" Charles said as he seated himself on the opposite side of the table.

"It's great. The cast is very talented and eager to learn." Erik responded.

The cook brought out everyone's meals and placed them in front of them. The entry was warm creamy potato soup. The main course was steak with fresh vegetables. The presentation was beautiful. They enjoyed their meal as Erik and Charles talked about the opera. Christine knew that her father was becoming very interested in Erik. He was smart and charming and her father would surely be fond of him. Raoul didn't seem to be enjoying his time as he looked away from his plate and seemed disconnected the whole meal.

"Do you sing Christine?" Erik's voice was low and soothing.

She was surprised by his question and looked at her father before answering who in return looked at her waiting for her answer. Raoul suddenly seemed interested and shifted in his seat.

"Ah- Yes Monsieur, or at least I use to." She answered looking down at her plate.

"Why don't you anymore?" Erik seemed interested as he waited for a response.

However before Christine could answer her father spoke up.

"She has a wonderful voice Monsieur. Her mother taught her well, although she didn't finish her training." Charles was proud that Christine had her mother's talent.

"I could coach her if you wish. I'm an excellent teacher." Erik said as he looked at Christine. He wondered what Charles would say to this.

"I think that would be a fantastic Idea! Wouldn't it be Christine?" Charles said. He was obviously fond of Erik

"Oh I don't know father-"

"Yes, it's a silly Idea!" Raoul laughed as he spoke "Christine doesn't need to learn to sing, whatever would be the use!" Raoul looked at Charles waiting for his response.

"No… I think it's a great Idea Vicomte, her mother would have wanted Christine to finish her training… Erik you must come tomorrow to discuss this further." Charles said before taking his champing glass and drinking it in one gulp.

"Perfect" Erik nodded in agreement.

"Excuse me." Raoul said before leaving the table. Christine smiled knowing he was upset. She looked down trying to hide her amusement.

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The Rest of the meal was excellent. Christine was very pleased that her father liked Erik. The night had been a success in her eyes. Of course Raoul thought otherwise. He didn't return to the table for the rest of the meal. When they were done Erik took Christine's hand and walked back to the foyer while still talking to Charles who was by his side. Christine then noticed Raoul coming from the other side of the room and stood there waiting for Erik to leave.

"Thank you for the fantastic meal, Mousier Daae. And thank you Christine for inviting me." Erik looked down at Christine and smiled.

"You're welcome Monsieur." Christine said as she blushed. She couldn't help it, he was incredibly handsome.

"Come back tomorrow afternoon Erik" Charles said as he shook Erik's hand.

"I will. Oh! I brought something for the lovely hostess." Marie handed Erik's coat back and he reached inside the pocket. He pulled out another red rose for Christine. It was identical to the one he gave her on the masked ball.

"Thank you." Christine took the rose and inhaled the wonderful aroma of the flower.

"And thank you Vicomte for the lovely evening" Erik called out to the other side of the room. Raoul didn't take one step forward, standing he nodded once eager for Erik to leave.

Erik kissed Christine's hand before turning and leaving the manor. It had been a wonderful night and Christine was suddenly excited about tomorrow.

"Charles I will speak to you in the library now." Raoul said as he walked away from them.

Christine's night couldn't have gone better. She was completely absorbed by her thoughts of Erik. She went up to her room and collapsed on her bed while caressing the soft velvet pedals of the rose. She thought of tomorrow and what surprises it would bring. She was completely enchanted by Erik.

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"What the hell was that?" Raoul screamed at Charles while waving his hands in the air with fury.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Charles answered calmly.

"Erik! Why did you ask him to teach Christine? You saw the way he was looking at her; he obviously wants to take her away from me!" Raoul was becoming frantic.

Charles studied Raoul before answering.

"I think your paranoid, he's harmless"

"That's how it may seem to you old man but I know what he wants. I will not allow Christine to be with him!"

"She is my daughter Raoul, and for a few more months I will decide what she will do! Christine hasn't been happy lately and it's mostly my fault. She needs this Raoul. I'm sorry… for the time being, Erik is staying." Charles said as he walked away from the library and into the foyer.

"Goodnight Vicomte" Charles said as he held the foyer door open for him. Raoul walked to the door eager to leave. His temper was flaring out of control.

"You are still her fiancé. Don't let him get to you" Charles called as Raoul left the manor.

Charles was right. He would not let Erik get to him. He would be very careful from now on, making sure to watch them both. He was not going to lose Christine to a masked freak. He smiled to himself as he climbed inside his carriage. _Let the games begin._

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**Authors note!: I hope you all liked it I don't know when I'll be able to update next as I am going back to school I will not be able to update as frequently as I do, but when I have the chance I'll probably be putting up multiple chapters at a time. REVIEWS WOULD MOTIVATE ME;) hehe. And thank you to all the people who have reviewed already, you guys make my day **


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do **not** own phantom of the opera or its characters.

**A/N: Hello everyone it's been awhile since I updated… school has been very busy but I do plan on finishing this story and hopefully updating more frequently. Anyways… I big thank you to both my beta readers and thank you to my amazing friend who helped a lot with this chapter and of course my reviewers you guys are amazing!**

Enjoy!:)

Chap five

Christine's morning had been pleasant. She had woken up with a revived energy after her dreamless sleep. The day was beautiful and she decided to take a walk in the nearby forest. She was eager to get away from the confinement of the manor; she hated living there, although it was a beautiful home it kept a façade of a happy family. However, she felt that it was cold and empty place since the death of her mother, and with her family's fortune gone it only reminded her of the lie that her and her father were currently living..

The forest that was located behind her home had always been a place where Christine went when she wanted to get away. Even as a child she often spent her days hidden in the folds of the forest. It captivated her imagination and made her feel as though life could stand still. Once more she stepped inside to seek shelter from her pending worries of her life. She absently walked around, her thoughts wandering to yesterday's dinner guest. If she was perfectly honest with herself she could not deny the fact that she was quite taken by Erik's charm and mysterious demeanor. However, she knew that her wedding was quickly approaching and she would have to stop behaving like this. She had a duty to her father and needed Raoul for security. Christine wasn't sure why he would agree to marry her when she openly displayed her hatred towards him. The way she was acting with Erik and the continuous rebellion could only jeopardize his agreement of marriage. Although he was cruel and selfish, she could not lose him. She could not let her father down.

Time continued to pass without her noticing as she walked around the forest. Christine loved the calming feel of the forest. She was hidden underneath green canopy. The fresh air did a good job of calming her nerves. The quiet was a blissful change for her. The beautiful flowers that surrounded her created a cheerful environment. As she walked she though further of Erik, he would become her vocal teacher. He would probably be around later today for their first lesson. She had been rather surprised when her father insisted upon him returning and tutoring her. She missed singing and wanted to complete her training but was unsure about being alone with Erik. She was very interested in him, he was handsome, interesting, mysterious and seemed like music was second nature to him. However she knew that Raoul disliked the idea of them being together. She didn't want to further jeopardize their strained relationship, but she was unsure if she could hide her feelings for Erik. With each passing day she realized how much this mysterious stranger was impacting her; he was becoming an ever pressing ghost in her mind, his voice echoing throughout her thoughts.

She stopped not wanting to go further into the forest. She was awaken from her daydreaming as she looked up and noticed that the sunlight had significantly dimmed. Her father would be worried about her. She picked up her dress and started making her way out of the forest. While she was running she could feel cool mist that hit her skin. She could hear the sound of thunder crackling above her. She needed to get home fast. The booming quake of thunder rolled overhead, making her pick up her pace. The temperature had dropped and she could feel herself shivering. It was a continuous downpour as Christine ran back home finally making it out of the forest. Christine could feel rain soaking though to her skin and she shivered and pulled her overcoat tighter around herself. She paused for a moment at the sight of the manor before running across the great grass lawn. Another thunderclap sounded as she closed in on the manor's porch. Out of the rain she pulled against the heavy door and relished the heat she felt as soon as she walked into the manor. She leaned against the door for a while trying to regain her strength. Walking over to the stairwell she slowly made her way up the stairs hoping to stay undetected for the moment. The white dress she wore was soaked and felt heavy; it hugged her curves leaving little to the imagination. Her hair was dripping wet leaving puddles of water with every step she took. She was extremely tired and cold from the run and wanted nothing more then to take a hot bath.

"Where the hell were you?"

Christine was startled and slowly looked behind her to see Raoul standing in the foyer, his arms crossed across his chest. The look of disapproval clearly manifested in his eyes.

She was soaked to the bone and shivering. She wanted nothing more then to ignore him and retreat to her room.

"I've been looking everywhere for you…" he started to make his way up the stairs to look at her closer.

"I - lost track of time." She said in a faint voice. She was too tired to argue.

"Clearly. I wanted to talk to you."

"Raoul, do you think it can wait?... I need to change out of these clothes." Christine felt as though she was going to faint. Exhaustion was quickly taking over her.

"I just though I should inform you that Mr. Desseler won't be coming over tonight." He said, ignoring her request.

"Oh… why?" she tried to keep her face expressionless.

He looked deeply into her eyes trying to distinguish how she felt about the news. She was careful not to show emotion.

"I took it upon myself to invite him to _my_ home tonight. You see Christine I can't let him be around you without getting to know him first… and knowing his intentions for doing this favor"

"I don't think that's your choice-"

"Actually it is my dear; I am your fiancé and as such need to look after you. Do not worry Christine you will still get to see him tonight." He smiled clearly mocking her.

"Get ready…we will leave for my place in an hour." He was finished conversing with her as he turned without looking back at her. He slowly made his way back to the library.

Christine didn't fully understand what he was saying and wanted to protest. She didn't have enough energy; she was exhausted and decided that it would only upset him if she refused to go. She turned and finished making her way up the stairwell. Slowly making her way down the long hallway towards her bedroom, she opened the door and stepped inside the dark room, immediately collapsing on her bed. She was now numb from the cold and needed desperately to rest. She closed her eyes as she thought to herself. '_Tonight would be stressful'_. She didn't want to see anyone, especially Erik; it would only mean that she needed to veil her emotions, which was proving to be increasingly difficult. She knew that Raoul had something planned and dread clouded her mind…

**A/N: I made Raoul really mean in this story hehe I really hated him in the movie. I hoped you all liked this chapter please review! **


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Phantom of the Opera or its characters.

A/N: THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE REVIEWD! Here is chapter six of enchanted. And I have decided to change Erik's last name from Desseler to Destler. I need to do that in my other story as well. And thank you to my two amazing betas.

Chapter 6 Enchanted

Enjoy

Chapter 6

Christine stepped out of Raoul's luxurious carriage, her gloved hand rested on his arm as they walked to his extravagant manor. With Marie's help, Christine looked more than presentable and Raoul seemed pleased. She wore a deep purple floor length gown, the bodice detailed with elegant crystal beading. Her hair was pulled back away from her face, but her long curls tumbled down her back. On her neck hung a crystal necklace that Raoul had purchased her months prior before she knew who he really was, he was a total gentleman at that time and Christine had to admit that she was quite taken by him at first, but slowly he changed and when her father announced him as her future husband, he completely changed into the beast he truly was.

They entered the brightly lit foyer, and a hush fell across the eagerly waiting and elegantly dressed crowd of Raoul's family and associates. She could feel all eyes on her as Raoul pulled her towards the large group of people. Raoul's friends and family crowded them, eager for a chance to speak to Raoul. People only spoke to her out of courtesy, and although she was kind and polite to everyone, she would be quickly dismissed and ignored. She could see that they would never deem her worthy to become the future Mrs. Chagny.

Time sluggishly passed as Raoul continued to entertain his guests, he would introduce her as his fiancée and Christine marveled at how well he played the role of the overjoyed future husband, he was like a seasoned actor who knew all the right things to say and how to act to captivate anyone around him.

The room was filled with people from the opera, people from his different jobs, friends and his family all dressed in lavish clothing-the epitome of wealth and elegance. Occasionally Christine would nervously glance around the room searching for the masked stranger, as if his presence would lift her spirits. Erik intrigued her; he was mysterious, interesting and forbidden. However, he complicated things for her. Raoul could make her feel vulnerable whenever he mentioned him, and she couldn't give him anymore power over her.

As she scanned the room she suddenly heard Raoul whisper in her ear. "Don't worry my dear, he will be here." Raoul openly mocked her about Erik, knowing full well how he effected her. Raoul didn't seem threatened by Erik, only using him as another advantage over Christine. She was completely under his rule no matter how hard she struggled against it; she just became more trapped as if falling into quicksand that was pulling her deeper with each attempt to be free.

Raoul smirked arrogantly to himself, pleased as he managed to break Christine down. For the time being, she had ended her search for Erik. He wanted to strike first. He kept the smile as he gently pulled Christine towards the marble stairwell. '_It's time for the announcement,' _he thought to himself as he kept a watchful eye on Christine. He knew that Erik was here somewhere, and he hoped that he would be close enough to listen-this was all part of his plan. He took a tall glass of champagne from one of the waiters and walked several steps up the stairs, stopping when he had a full view of all his guests. Christine was standing just below him, looking up at him with a bewildered expression. He ignored her and raised his glass as he drew the attention of everyone in the room.

"My friends! Thank you all for coming tonight…" He smiled as he saw Erik standing in the far corner of the room, '_Perfect.'_

"As you all know, Lady Christine and I are to be married in a few months… I have talked it over with my beautiful fiancée and we've decided that we can no longer wait to be married, therefore we are now set to be married by the end of this week." The silence around the room was deafening, the calm before the storm.

She felt…numb, she had so many emotions, she was not surprised, yet, this was a new low, even for him. She stood there for what seemed an eternity. She looked up at Raoul who was beaming, then she looked at the crowd, their faces read anywhere from surprised, happy, upset, confused, but none more confused than she was. Raoul had not mentioned any of this to her, he planned this so that she could not escape her fate. So, was he threatened? Did he think she would leave him if she had more time? Should she leave him now? The moment of panic increased when she saw the man in the mask standing in a corner of the room which gave her a feeling of anger because he did not want him to hear this. Or see her this way. '_He was here, this was his fault anyway if it wasn't for him none of this would have happened.'_

Reality set in when the room exploded into thunderous applause, the noise was piercing and set her on edge. She was losing her mind. She remembered Raoul's presence when he held her by the waist holding her closer and placing a kiss upon her cheek. He took her hand and led them both towards the center of the room where people crowded them offering there congratulations. She felt claustrophobic, small, and under examination. '_This cannot be happening,' _she wanted to run and as she was gaining the courage to go through with it, she felt Raoul squeeze her at the waist, she looked at him and saw a stern look in the depths of his blue eyes. She could just hear him saying '_behave'._ Sheabandoned all thought of running and slowly formed a slight smile on her face which she hoped looked genuine enough.

Xxx

The evening passed the same way it began: slow and torturous. Christine did the best she could to look pleased and Raoul seemed satisfied with her performance. As the evening came to a close, guests thanked Raoul and congratulated her as they headed home. There were some guests that remained but more than half of the room was empty. Raoul gave Christine a look that she could not distinguish at first he smiled at her, and then she thought the expression was very sadistic.

"Come with me," Raoul led her towards a darkened corner where they were hidden from view.

"But your guests…" She tried to come up with an excuse to stay, panic quickly setting in.

"They can wait," as soon as they were covered by the shadows he turned Christine around so that she was facing him, he pinned her against the wall by placing each of his arms on either side of her so she was trapped and forced to look at him. He just looked at her for a few seconds before descending down to her lips and kissing her with a fevered need. He pressed his body to hers and placed a hand on the back of her head so she was forced to kiss him back.

"Raoul-please…" She managed to say in between breaths trying desperately to keep calm. He would hurt her if she tried to flee.

"Are you begging for more my love?" He smiled as he continued to kiss her, he pulled at her hair and the other hand caressed her waist.

She was panicking and squirming like a prisoner trying to break free. He was too strong for her to escape and it only made him hold her tighter, he was hurting her at trying to keep her in place.

She managed to turn her head so he kissed her check instead of her lips, but he did not care and started to trace kisses down her neck, making his way lower and lower until he was at her collarbone.

"STOP! Please! Raoul, we're not yet married!" She was trying to be as quiet as possible but it was proving to be impossible. He stopped then, but forcefully grabbed her chin making her to look at him, he had a crazed look in his eyes.

"What does it matter, my love? We will be in a few days… soon all of you shall be mine." Both his hands caressed her waist in small circles. She tried to break free again by pushing his chest with her hands but he grabbed both of her arms and pinned her back to the wall. She gasped as he grew more violent.

"Is there a problem here?" Raoul turned to see who it was and Christine caught a glimpse of Erik standing not too far from them. Raoul let Christine go as he ran a hand through his untamed hair before answering.

"Everything is fine." Raoul answered once he composed himself.

Christine however was having trouble regaining her breath.

"I was actually asking the lady." Erik took a step forward and looked at Christine, waiting for a response.

Christine smoothed her now-wrinkled dress as she tried to find her voice, then looked down as she spoke. "I'm fine monsieur, thank you." She knew she didn't sound convincing. She looked up to meet Erik's worried expression.

"What do you want, Destler?" Raoul was quickly losing his patience.

Erik's gaze never left Christine's as he spoke. "I haven't had the chance to congratulate the future bride yet." His voice was full of sarcasm, despite the circumstances, Christine found herself smiling to herself at his comment.

"Yes well, I think my bride has had enough excitement for tonight-"

"_Future _bride," Erik corrected him. Raoul said nothing but held out his hand towards Christine.

"Come along my dear, I must get you home at once." Christine ignored his hand but slowly started walking by his side. Her eyes locked to Erik's.

Before she could pass him, Erik gently grabbed her hand. "I'll see you soon, Miss Daae." His voice just above a whisper, but it was laced with a soothing tone which was full of reassurance.

Christine looked down her face turning red, then smiled before Raoul pulled her away, clearly eager to get her far from Erik.

"I hope you don't have a problem finding your way out!" Raoul called to Erik as they walked away from him and into the night air as they made their way to the awaiting carriage.

Christine could not stop thinking about those warm amber eyes and his promise that still hung in the air. '_Soon.'_ she thought.

Xxx

Let me know what you think, please review


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